Smart power: White House freaks out New York with low altitude fly-by; Video: Panicked NYers run in the streets; Update: Obama “furious”

posted at 5:00 pm on April 27, 2009 by Allahpundit

I didn’t hear it this morning but I used to work in lower Manhattan and can assure you that workers these days are highly attuned to unusual air traffic in the area. Not a day has passed in seven-plus years, I think, that an airplane has flown low enough overhead that I could hear it, even just barely, and I didn’t look up. Just watching the video, I could feel the blood drain from my face.

Good work, Pentagon.

An Air Force One lookalike and two F-16s buzzed the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor this morning, halting work on nearby construction sites, causing resident and office workers to flee their high-rises and giving thousands of people in downtown Manhattan and New Jersey a major fright. At least two people were treated for minor injuries at Jersey City Medical Center after falling during the rush to exit their high-rises.

“Everybody panicked,” said Daisy Cooper, a Merrill Lynch worker in Jersey City, who lost a nephew on 9/11. “Everybody was screaming and we all ran downstairs. I’m devastated…Everybody was running, we didn’t know why we were running. We just knew it was a plane, there we go, 9/11 again.”…

A Pentagon official confirmed that while the Presidential Airlift Group, which is based out of Andrews Air Force Base, did inform the FAA and New York City officials about this morning’s aerial photo op. But they also told both agencies not to inform the public about it. The NYPD confirmed this.

Not sure how or why The One would be responsible for this, but since the left’s being extra-jerky with its fingerpointing today, feel free to put forth your theory in the comments of What This Tells Us About How Obama Views the World. Evidence of his pre-9/11 mentality? Proof of a narcissism so profound as to blind him to American fears? Suggestive of a military that’s out of control under his weak command? Go crazy!

“Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision,” he said. “While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, its clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused.”…

An administration official said the Federal Aviation Administration was informed this would be taking places, and notified Mr. Bloomberg’s office on April 22.

The problem was the FAA was told the information was classified and did not alert the press to warn the public.

Follow the link for obligatory outrage from Bloomberg and Schumer, who’s blaming the FAA in order to cover Obama’s ass.

Update: Here’s the best clip yet of how horrifying this looked and sounded from the ground. Unbelievable.

Update: Changed the headline to emphasize that it was Team Barry, not the Pentagon, that blew this. He’s not happy about it, either:

When President Obama was told about the incident, he was “furious,” a White House official says.

Caldera was called into a meeting with White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and deputy chief of staff Jim Messina.

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The Military follow strict protocol. They would not send one of the Airforce One fleet over NYC unless under direct orders from the POTUS. Jumping into a first impression to blame the Pentagon showed prejudice, Allahpundit.

Calderas’ is only sorry that he’s being blamed for Obama’s terrorism over NYC. His “mea culpa” is not even an apology since he rebuffs responsibility for the communication breakdown.

Janet Napolitano and Homeland Security are to blame as well. Their ineffectivity know no bounds, corrupting everything.

Bloomberg WAS infuriated, so writing now that he was told in advance is really lame.

The media are doing their dutiful part as Obama’s journalists to fabricate rationale, attempting to cover support for The One above all.

Jack Tapper presumes himself as the White House official to give his take credence.

A White House official tells ABC News that President Obama was “furious” to hear about the incident this morning when Air Force One and Air Force fighter jets appeared to be flying into the Manhattan skyline, scaring many New Yorkers into thinking they were about to face another terrorist attack.

An explanation was forthcoming in a mea culpa statement issued from the White House.

“Last week, I approved a mission over New York,” Louis Caldera, director of the White House military office, said. “I take responsibility for that decision. While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it’s clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused.”

Christina Bellantoni is not to be outdone by Tapper, inserting herself as an administration official.

Bloomberg WAS outraged. Obama’s people are covering their asses faster than Quickdraw McGraw.

“Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision,” he said. “While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, its clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused.”…

The late afternoon statement came as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg — an Obama ally so far — said he was outraged.

A few hours earlier, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs had dodged questions about the incident, saying he hadn’t followed it closely.

An administration official said the Federal Aviation Administration was informed the exercise would be taking place, and notified Mr. Bloomberg’s office on April 22.

The problem was the FAA was told the information was classified and that it should not alert the press to warn the public.

“This isn’t about terrorism. This isn’t about another attack on American soil killing thousands of innocent people. This is about a black man being in the White House. All those people screaming, crying, running away in terror — that’s racism straight-up.”

At least Obama Administration is making improvements. I mean, they didn’t do the standard knee jerk denial that the fly-by ever happened. Followed by the Obama has always said there would be a fly-by. Followed by Republicans are fear mongering by freaking out over the fly-bys. Small step forward. Baby steps.

And where are the truthers on this? Clearly this is a dress rehearsal for False Flag II. right?

The White House issued a statement saying that they ultimately decided to cancel the burning of 2000 crosses on the White House lawn to “provide a glowing celebration” of the Easter holiday due to EPA restrictions.

Oh it is indeed ridiculous how much money your government has spent to get footage of Air Force 1. Perhaps the voters should make their problem with this known to their elected officials.

Dave Rywall on April 28, 2009 at 11:47 AM

They can complain to the elected officials all they want, but the rampant growth in federal government as created a particular breed of mid level bureaucrat that just isn’t accountable to the voters. I’d be willing to bet that’s where a lot of the more impolitic calls originated even if guys higher up bear the responsibility.

Which is the point Doc made, and you still haven’t addressed. But hey, it’s easier to dodge, evade, and spin than discuss real problems. I get that.

The FAA didn’t authorize this. They mereley gave airspace for it to be done. They work within perameters…unlike the current administration, whose motto seems to be….we’ll do what we want, so na na na na na to you, taxpayers, and citizens of New York!

This was definitely approved, and authorized, and given the go ahead from someone in the White House, and you’ll never convince me that a president, be they Republican, or Democrat, wouldn’t know about it.

Just seeing this again sent chills up my spine. I can understand why those who poured out of the buildings did so. Thank you, Jesus, that it was only the stupidity of the feux-messiah, instead of a terrorist plot.

You know, this reminds me of something a good patriotic poster of these boards, Hawkdriver, writes. Not verbatim mind you, but along the lines of, ‘never support a Party who will use every dirty trick to smear the other Party while giving our true enemies abroad a sporting chance.’

We have supporters of this administration casually writing off this amazing gratuitous act of indifference, idiocy, and insensitivity to our fellow countrymen (inhabitants of lower Manhattan/Jersey) and yet have the gall to muster outrage over the sprinkling of water on the faces of a few sworn enemies of this republic.

I know someone must have already said this, but once again: Imagine the media outrage and indignation if something like this had occurred under G. Bush?……What we are witnessing in this country is the ascension of the media into the place of supreme power due to the ignorance, greed, and immorality of the public. They don’t even need the fairness doctrine; the doped up dumbed down pubelick isn’t even paying attention.

Right on! This incident so exposes the intellectual dishonesty of the left. More than the fiegned outrage had Bush pulled a similar stunt, they cannot possibly bring themself to criticize President Front-Runner about anything, anytime.

Had Bush done similar, conservatives would have been out front howling in protest about the abject stupidity of such a move – this is where we differ from the left. We have principles, they have celebrity.

Oh, and how bout standing up and taking some blame, TOTUS? Stop with the “dog-ate-my-homework” stuff. You’re the boss – the buck (deflated though it will soon be) stops with you, big guy.

Just another example of how little respect this man has for those that have lost their lives on 9/11 and since. there is no shame felt with these folks, get all the democrats out of office as soon as possible before we completely lose our respect in the world and become another target for those that hate us all.